"Semifinal Match One!"
"Nine-Star Swordsman, the Radiant Blade Arthur, versus the Super Swordswoman, Erza Scarlet!"
"Now～～～!"
"Begin———!!!"
CLANG——————!
The gong echoed.
"Flash Blade!"
Almost the instant the match was called, Arthur launched his attack—his whole body becoming a streak of light as he shot straight toward Erza.
CLANG—!
With a loud metallic crash, Erza was blasted backwards.
She stabbed her swords into the ground with both hands, skidding a fair distance before stopping.
CRACK!
Her sword snapped in two.
"What?!"
Erza's eyes widened. She hadn't expected her weapon to be shattered so easily.
"Oooohhhhh!!"
The audience erupted as they saw Arthur break her weapon right at the start.
"That was just a greeting. If you're not going all out, then this match might as well be over."
Arthur looked at Erza calmly. He had wanted to test her strength, but his true desire—to fight the one called Yoriichi Tsugikuni—was burning inside him.
Since the day he picked up a sword, no one had ignited such anticipation within him.
For a long time now, his swordsmanship had stagnated. He had begun to believe he'd reached the very limits of the art.
But that man's appearance had shattered everything.
There was a higher realm.
Watching wasn't enough.
To truly understand his sword—he had to face him in battle.
"If you insist… then I'll fight as you wish."
Erza wasn't someone who clung to rules for pride's sake. She'd seen that Arthur's abilities in Group C were bordering on actual magic. Her own magic—Requip Magic—classified her as a Magic Swordswoman too. It wasn't against the rules.
"Requip: Heaven's Wheel Armor!"
A brilliant light radiated from Erza's body. When it faded, she wore a suit of dazzling golden armor.
Two massive metallic wings spread behind her—majestic and awe-inspiring.
"She's bringing out the real power now."
Kaien watched from the rest area. He could tell that Erza was done holding back. He'd seen her magic in anime before—but never in real life.
"Wait—did she just change armor?!"
"Is that Requip Magic?!"
Requip Magic was a fairly common spell type. It allowed users to summon stored weapons, armor, or gear from a dimensional space.
Many sword-wielding mages in this tournament used similar techniques. Even back in the Kingdom of Fiore, countless minor mages used magical blades of the same kind.
"Heaven's Wheel – Sword Barrage!"
Erza rose into the air and launched a rain of magical blades toward Arthur.
"Radiance of Light!"
Arthur unleashed the same move he used to wipe out his preliminary group.
A barrage of light-forged blades surged toward Erza's incoming storm.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Their weapons collided in midair, exploding in bursts of light and steel.
"Heaven's Wheel – Circle Blades!"
Several steel swords spun around her in high-speed arcs, forming a slicing vortex toward Arthur.
"Flash Blade!"
Arthur responded with blinding speed. In an instant, his golden light slashed apart every spinning sword.
"Requip: Black Wing Armor!"
Erza changed again, this time to a sleek black suit with bat-like wings sprouting from her back.
"She's switching so fast!"
The crowd gasped in amazement at her rapid transformation.
Erza dived down toward Arthur.
"Black Wing – Moon Slash!"
She delivered a cross-shaped slash right before him.
"Flash Cross Slash!"
Arthur countered with a glowing X-shaped sword wave.
BOOM—!
The two slashes collided head-on.
"Requip: Flight Armor!"
A new armor appeared on her—a beast-themed set with twin daggers. This one greatly boosted her speed.
"Flight – Sonic Claw!"
Erza vanished—and reappeared behind Arthur in a flash, thrusting both daggers at blinding speed.
"Flash Thrust!"
Arthur met her attack, both hands gripping his sword in a rapid counter-thrust, parrying every blow.
Their blades clashed in a flurry—neither side giving an inch.
CLANG—!
After one final impact, the two leapt apart.
"As expected from the Fairy Queen—your strength is impressive. You're the strongest female swordsman I've ever fought.
But it's time to end this."
Arthur raised his sword in front of his chest, both hands gripping tightly as golden energy surged into the blade.
Seeing that, Erza instantly raised her guard.
Radiant light burst from Arthur's sword, shooting into the sky and forming a massive golden greatsword above him.
"Judgment of Light!"
He roared, bringing the colossal blade down on Erza.
"Requip: Adamantine Armor!"
"Adamant Shield!"
Erza donned her most defensive set—wielding two massive shields. As they combined, they formed a towering green magical barrier.
BOOOOM────!
The light sword struck the barrier, unleashing a tremendous shockwave.
CRACK────!
The shield barrier cracked under the force.
CRASH────!
It shattered.
BOOOOM────!
The golden blade smashed into Erza's twin shields.
"Guaaaaaah!!"
With a scream, she was sent flying—her shield shattered under the weight of the strike.
The giant blade gouged a deep crevice in the arena floor.
Erza struggled to get up, only to find a blade pointing straight at her face.
"I concede!"
She admitted defeat without hesitation. She had felt it throughout the fight—his swordsmanship far exceeded hers. If he had gone all-out from the start, she wouldn't have lasted nearly this long.
She hated losing. But the stronger the opponent, the more it stoked her fighting spirit. This tournament had shown her countless new peaks of swordplay.
She would absorb them all—
and become even stronger.
Arthur sheathed his sword. "You're strong—and incredibly gifted. A few years from now, I might not be able to beat you.
But that time… is not now."
With that, he turned and walked away.
For Arthur, this match had only been a warm-up.
His real target…
was that man.
"The match is decided!!!"
"Winner: Arthur!!!"
"What an incredible battle! Erza from the Kingdom of Fiore showed tremendous strength with her Requip Magic—her ability is undoubtedly that of a Nine-Star Swordsman. For someone so young to reach such a level—it's astounding!
Arthur, too, lived up to his title as the Kingdom's strongest swordsman! Let's give both fighters a huge round of applause!"
"Whoaaaaaa!!"
"Arthur! Arthur! Arthur!"
"Erza was amazing too!"…
The arena roared in celebration of both combatants.
"Next up, the second semifinal match—"
"The Lightning Blade, Nine-Star Swordsman Clay, versus the Sword God, Yoriichi Tsugikuni!!!"
BOOOOM────!!!
The moment the commentator said that name—
the entire arena exploded.
"Sword God! Sword God! Sword God!"